Who's On Provence Post Now?

Thursday, March 8, 2012

All of a sudden the small towns of Provence are coming out of hibernation. The sun is shining, people are returning from winter getaways, road work is happening everywhere and new businesses are springing up left and right. Yay! One of the newest arrivals in my village is a restaurant called Cuis'in and it's owned by Charles Nasser (a former partner at St. Remy's popular Bar Tabac des Alpilles), chef Jean-Pierre Caillon and Guillaume Nipote. The three partners opened on March 1st and definitely seem to have a hit on their hands. This is a bright, simple dining room in a large, comfortable space, with a small bar in front at which a couple people can eat. For now, Jean-Pierre is offering just four main courses (18€ and 19€), plus a plat du jour (yesterday it was a lamb confit with rice and vegetables for 12.90€) and a choice of six crunchy open-faced sandwiches. Known as tartines, the sandwiches are served warm on Poilânebread and come with a crisp mesclun salad and a cup of homemade soup (12.90€, or 15.50€ with coffee and dessert). For nibbling, there's a charcuterie plate (two sizes, 9€ and 16€), a cheese plate (4.80€) or fries, soup or salad (3€). Kids can have 1/2 tartine with salad, a drink and ice cream (9€). If you're looking for a place for a private party, they can accommodate 70 people. I like everything about this restaurant: the food, the space, the welcome, the price. (If you go, please tell them I sent you!) Winter hours are: lunch only during the week; lunch and dinner on Friday and Saturday; closed Sunday. To find it, take a right off the main traffic circle, onto the D99A, as though you were heading to Cavaillon. You'll see the restaurant a few doors in, on your right. Just past it, turn right to find parking lots.

Photo: Jean-Pierre Caillon, Guillaume Nipote, Charles Nasser and Jean-Pierre's wife, Nicole. *Note, another nice place for tartines is Le Cuisine de Comptoir in Arles; you can read about it here. If you're looking for burgers rather than tartines, the laid-back Mirabeau in St. Remy has some of the best ones around. If you're after something more formal, an update on the new Michelin Guide Rouge 2012 is here.